America's Coat of Many Colors

by Irene Daniel

Last week-end I had the esteemed honor and privilege to accompany a real war hero, Adolpho "Harpo" Celaya, to the celebration of the 71st anniversary of the hoisting of an American flag over Iwo Jima, hosted by the Ira H. Hayes American Legion Post 84 in Sacaton, AZ. Ira Hayes, as you may know, was one of the Marines who hoisted that flag, and his memory is honored by his Gila River Indian community every year, and in many other ways. It was an unanticipated gift, and one that I will remember forever.

As fate would have it for a history geek like me, Harpo lives two doors down from me in our small hometown. I get to drive him around sometimes when he gets to do things like this: parades, dinners, speeches and other honors. I have had the pleasure of seeing how people respond to him when he tells his story of surviving the catastrophic sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis on July 30, 1945; the greatest naval disaster in the history of the U.S. Navy. The history gods are good, bestowing this honor upon me.

It started with a banquet on Friday night, where veterans of all ages, colors and creeds were in attendance. As well you might imagine, Native-Americans of many tribes were well represented, coming from several states, including New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Some, like Sophie Yazzie, brought gifts. Sophie is a 102 year-old veteran of WWII, who bestowed a beautiful blanket upon Adjutant Tony McDaniel for his devotion to the post and his stewardship of the event.

The following day was the big parade and it was again my esteemed honor to accompany Harpo to this celebration. To my astonishment, I was asked if I would like to ride along in the car that carried Harpo through the parade route. I really didn't want to be any trouble or be in the way, but the generosity of the invitation and the encouragement of our driver was all I needed to heartily accept such graciousness. It was not only a thrill, but an education in and of itself.

As we taxied around the town to take our place in the parade of veterans and other displays of patriotism, I marveled at how many tribes from so many different places came to participate in this truly American celebration. And the tribes of which I speak are not just Native American, but of the America that has always been comprised of all the tribes of humanity.

I thought of all the conflict and conquests of the past, and how Americans of all stripes have long chosen to be reconciled under one Stars and Stripes. The Irish, the Mexicans, Asian-Americans, Native-Americans and African-Americans have chosen to put past injustices aside when celebrating the greatness of our collective whole. If you don't think Mexicans are patriotic, you haven't been to a Fourth of July party in East LA. It is an hours-long blast!

Our American ideal of freedom is so extraordinary that it has taken us a couple of centuries to grow into our true self. As we stretch and learn better ways of resolving conflicts among ourselves, we enable our democracy to gradually evolve into that "more perfect union;" our American coat of many colors.

There is more than one way to be a patriot here in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

                                                                   Copyright 2016, Irene Daniel, all rights reserved.